Fate dances to a different melody
by elanyi
Summary: A pirate, a bargirl, a blacksmith, a lady and a rather put-off Commodore. RomaceAngstAdventure ensue...
1. Introducing Anouk

Hey all, this is my first go at a fanfiction so please don't hate me if you don't like it- and sorry that the first chapter's so short, I got a bit stuck with it. J

Disclaimer: I do not own anything relating to **Pirates of The Caribbean** [not even Jack?] unfortunately…no. L

Chapter 1: Introducing Anouk. 

Port Royal's pubs were crowded tonight. Sailors, merchants, townspeople and even some well-to-do members of society, all determined to get as drunk as possible in the vain hope that maybe they would escape their miserable lives for one night. Outside, away from the stale smell of alcohol, the cool wind swirled around the tops of trees and raced along the backstreets of the town.

Anouk looked over her shoulder as she walked away from the tavern, **The Black Cat**. She preferred the companionship of the fresh night air as opposed to drunken sailors. 

Pulling her tattered shawl tighter around her shoulders, she hurried down the crumbling brick path, trying to ignore the jeers and catcalls of drunks, to a small cottage tucked away behind a grove of palm trees.

Opening the door she stepped in and fumbled for the pack of matches on the mantelpiece. 

She lit the thin candles stuck crudely into the wall and turned around to face her reflection.

Soft light illuminated Anouk's features as she gazed into the cracked mirror hanging on the wall. 

She was beautiful. Her Asian/English looks were the chief motive for her employment at **The Black Cat** and because of that she was underestimated as another working whore. 

However she quickly proved her worth as a swift learner and an able worker. Her looks attracted many a customer and although she received many dinner offers and requests to join merry tables, Anouk favoured doing her job and then getting right out of there. 

Her straight black hair reached the middle of her back and then curled into ringlets.

She was petite with a small build, but regardless of her slightness Anouk was fierce in a fight as those who dared cross her soon discovered. 

Exhausted, she flopped into her makeshift bed without bothering to change her clothes and soon was fast asleep.

In spite of her prettiness and good nature, Anouk felt that she wasn't good enough, not good enough for anyone to love, and for that reason alone she had never accepted any dinner invitations or requests. She was destined to lead a long, solitary life. 

Or so it would seem…

***

And that is the end of chapter 1! –dances-

Please, if you find time, review!


	2. A Pirate and a 'whore'

Ok, second chapter up. Yay! -jumps - I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own anything related to **Pirates of The Caribbean**.

Chapter 2: Of Sparrows and 'whores'.

Captain Jack Sparrow awoke at the hour of 5:32am. He opened one eye and looked around. The room was still mostly dark, the moonlight shone through the small window above his bed and apart from the gentle lapping of waves against the side of _The Black Pearl_, it was silent. Muttering to himself about "cursed insomnia…" he went to swing his legs out of bed but miscalculated the distance and promptly landed with a 'thump' on the hard floor. 

"Ahh…meep", he moaned as he attempted to lift his body off the ground.

Cocking his head to make sure no one had heard his unfortunate tumble, Jack retrieved himself from the floor and slowly pulled on his boots and jacket. As he walked out the door he passed his tri-cornered hat hanging on a hook by the door. His hands came up indecisively in front of him and after a few minutes silent debate, he perched it on his head and continued on his way.

His boots hit the wooden surface of the deck and the dimming moonlight streamed onto his back as he swaggered over to the helm. His hands caressed the wheel and his lips hummed the tune of a song he had learnt long ago. He smiled at the memory of Miss Elizabeth Swann and her drunken antics by the fire, on that warm Caribbean night. Never in all his pirate life had he imagined that he, Captain Jack Sparrow, could be taught anything from a lady such as Elizabeth. But never the less, that song which had stuck with him through thick and thin came from her.

"Yo ho, yo ho a pirates life for me…

We pillage we plunder we rifle we loot,

Drink up me 'earties, yo ho!

Dadada dadada dadada dada …." His voice trailed off.

It had been 3 months since he had seen Will and Elizabeth. They had not written to him, or tried to contact him in any way and to tell the truth, Jack was hurt. He sighed as he thought back to Will's promise to write him and of course, invite him to their wedding when it came around. But surely it had been around and come and gone already, and Jack had not been invited. He let go of the wheel and set off towards the stairs.

"Stupid rich snobs", he grumbled as he ambled back below deck, "think they can just forget about me and me crew like that ey? Well I'll bloody show them", he walked towards the small crew's cabins, "no one jus 'forgets' about Captain Jack Spa-WAKE UP YOU MOTLEY BASTARDS!" he rattled loudly on each door as he passed, "RISE AND BLOODY SHINE!", he grinned to himself as the sound of an object being thrown against the wall met his ears and "Damn you Jack!" rang above the rumble of the crews emergence. 

Jack smirked to himself as he spun on his heel and returned to where the yell had come from, oh yes…the young Turners were going to get the surprise of their lives…they wouldn't know what him them.

He pressed up against the door and stifled a snigger.

"That's CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow to you, thankee very much!"

Another object slammed into the door and with a loud "HA!", Jack scampered up the stairs.

***

It was about noon when Anouk stirred and finally woke. Bright sunlight was already pouring through the open window and shining merrily onto her weary form. 

"Oh my god!", she sat straight up in bed, "how long have I been asleep? What time is it? Oh bother…", she rubbed her eyes resignedly and yawned. A sudden burst of energy propelled her out of bed and she hurried over to the pitiable dressing table and tied back her hair without even brushing it. Realizing she was still in her clothes from last night, Anouk dashed to the washbasin and stripped. The water was icy cold and she shivered as she splashed it over her naked body, trying to make herself feel as clean as possible.

Changing into a dress that had known better days, slipping on some shoes and grabbing her wicker basket, Anouk scurried out the door and down to the Sunday markets.

The day was to be a hot one. Already she could feel herself sweating as she walked between stands and bargained with stallholders. Finally, she came to the last booth, a dirty old man was lounging behind the desk, smoking.

"How much for this one?", she asked holding up a little grapefruit.

The man blew a cloud of smoke into her face, took one look at her and gave her a toothy grin. "Free, darlin', if you'll keep me bed warm tonight…", he winked suggestively and reached out to grasp her arm. Anouk gagged and recoiled in disgust.

"How dare you! I'll have you know that I am NOT some common servant or maid to service you! I am my own person!", and with that she threw the grapefruit at the stunned man and ran out of there as fast as she could.

Anouk kept running as tears blinded her vision and sharp stones cut through her flimsy shoes. In time she reached her destination and crumpled to her knees, sobbing. Why was it that men always took her to be some sort of whore to be used and then discarded? Life was so unfair.

Looking up she saw she was kneeling at the docks and there were quite a few people watching her. Men, woman and children gawked in her direction, their eyes wide. 

"What are you looking at?", she snapped, "nothing to see here, just a common _whore _crying her eyes out!", she spat out the word 'whore' with repugnance. 

A young, black man came over to her and rested his hand on her shoulder. He could not speak English but his sympathy comforted her greatly. Smiling she thanked him and shook his hand. Well, now that she was here, she might as well stay and watch the ships come in. moving to sit on the edge of the pier, Anouk dangled her feet in the water and looked to the horizon.

***

Unbeknownst to Anouk, someone else was also looking to the same horizon. 

Captain Jack Sparrow stood at the back of the ship and stared out to the diminishing horizon, lost in his thoughts as Gibbs, the first mate, took the wheel.

"Captain!", a voice broke through the quiet stillness of his reverie, "we're approaching Port Royal, Captain!".

Jack spun around to face the familiar sight of the town where he had first met Will Turner, the town where he was a very wanted man, the town where pirates were scorned and despised and the town where the Commodore Norrington would go to great lengths to capture him.  He grinned. 

"We stop 'ere tonight!", he shouted to his crew, "and stay for god knows how long, so go an' enjoy yerselves!".

The crew cheered, it had been too long since their last break and some were beginning to feel that their captain would've continued sailing forever if it had not been for the Turners. 

Jack handled the compass that didn't point north and whispered to himself, "Watch out young Mr Turner, ol' Jack's back!"

***

So…  -looks nervously around-  did ya like? I really did do my best, lol. Well, please review. J

Ps. I know this chapter isn't much longer but, have sympathy, writing isn't as easy as it seems. Apologies.

Pps. I'm very sorry if anything in my story bears a similarity to anything in any other fanfictions. I swear I haven't been stealing any ideas or plagiarising. And yes, if your wondering, I am paranoid about someone thinking I stole their ideas. 


	3. Funny sort of pirate, aren't you?

YAY! A big THANK YOU to _Clueless-Patty_, my first reviewer! Your words mean a hell of a lot to me! Thank you again. 

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, dammit! *breaks down in tears* oh, except Anouk. *sniff*

Chapter 3: Funny sort of pirate…isn't he?

"Listen lady, I dun' care wot yer damn excuse is, yer can't jus sit on the docks fer no reason! Now get outta me way! You're blockin' the path", a fat man wearing a torn singlet and emitting a terrible odour growled and moved towards Anouk with arm outstretched. 

But she wasn't about to give up without a fight.

"I'm not blocking ANYONE'S way, mister! I'm sitting on the _edge_ of the docks; you're goin' _round_ me", she gestured to herself and then to the open space next to her.

Then man squeezed his hands together, as if he would like them to be around her neck.

"Look missy, I could'na give a bleeding bollocks if there was no-one on these 'ere docks, you're in ME WAY! Now will ye' move of will I force ye' too?"

"Well?" she held up her hand to her chin as is pondering the threat, "I'd say your going to have to make me cos I don't see no reason why I should move." And with a flip of her long hair she turned her back on him.

The man bared his teeth in an ugly grin. His palm came up and with a 'slap' it hit the back of her skull. 

Anouk's head jerked forward and her eyes closed in pain. Before she had time to register, another one landed on the side of her head and it was a punch, hard and fast.

"Unngh…" she moaned and fell sideways, collapsing. He lunged down and grasped her dress collar and just as he raised his fist for another go, a hand seized his.

A voice, filled with distaste and somewhat hidden anger spoke, "What do ye' think yer doin' mate?"

The fat man tried to whirl round to glare at the intruder but found the man had twisted him so he couldn't move. 

"Hands off buddy, this wench 'eres in me way, en I'm gunna teach her a lesson she won't never forget!" he tried to jerk out of the mystery man's grip.

The stranger gave a dark chuckle, "That aint very gentlemanly behaviour now is it?" he bent his arm further up his back causing the other man to wince. Suddenly a second voice followed the first and the sound of a pistol being cocked broke into the air, thick with tension, "And ye' wouldn' really wanna go 'urtin no-one would ye?"

The fat man seemed the rethink his former words. He stuttered as he tried to repent.

"Ahh, on second thoughts I don' really mean 'er no 'arm," he waved with his free arm towards Anouk's slumped figure, "me temper got the best of me as usual, umm, I'll just be leavin' now." He darted from the two holding him and waddled away, looking back every now and then. 

The last thing Anouk remembered before closing her eyes was something slapping her face and a voice yelling in her ear something about 'not sleeping' but she was far too sleepy to heed advice. And with that final thought she slipped into oblivion. 

* * *

Bright lights danced in front of her eyes and she blinked a couple of times to try and rid them. In the distance she could hear a man's voice speaking to her. Slowly his face came into focus and Anouk saw he was leaning over her grinning, some gold teeth glinting in the sun. He was a strange looking fellow. A large tri-cornered hat covered his long dread locks and Anouk could see small beads entwined in the clumps of hair. However his main feature was his shadowy eyes, lined with what looked like kohl. They were large and brown and somewhat comforting.

But as the man lifted his arm to brush some hair out of his face, Anouk spotted a small scar on his wrist. It was a 'P'. The man was a pirate. Pirate. 

"Ahhhhhh!" she shrieked in terror and tried to scramble out of his reach, but fell back as a searing pain raced through her skull. The man moved out of her eyesight, letting the sun's ray's fall squarely onto her face. 

"Good to see yer awake at last. I was beginnin' to think I'd 'ave to bring you onto me ship ta take care of ye'." He smiled at her and stood up. Stretching his arms above his head he looked to the sky and squinted. "Well, it's about time I took me leave, young missy," he paused and looked down at her.

"Yer okay aren't ye'? I mean, once I leave you aren't gunna jus drop dead or something or somethin'?"

Anouk shivered and tried to struggle as far away from the pirate as possible. 

"I, I'm fine," she stammered, "uh, you better leave now okay," she held up her hand as he made to step towards her, "where's your crew, pirate?" 

* * *

Jack was taken aback. This girl didn't know who he was? What was wrong with her? I mean, everyone knew who he was, right? Not just any old pirate! THE pirate. To quote Elizabeth, "…The most fearsome pirate in the Spanish Main!" 

"And the world." he added as an afterthought.

"What was that?" the girl asked warily.

He flung his hands up in front of his face, "Nothing, luv, nothing at all." 

She looked relieved. "Oh well, then you can go now."

Jack was fed up. This girl didn't know a thing and she was treating him like a common sailor.

"Luv, don' u know who I am?" he began, kneeling in front of her again. She backed away.

"No! I don't, so just go away."

"Oh. Ok," he looked a bit dejected. She breathed in deeply and shut her eyes. Jack squinted at her quizzically. All of a sudden they snapped open and she shuddered. 

"Well, you're a pirate anyway.  A funny sort of pirate, aren't you?"

Jack frowned. "I resent that," he grinned, grabbed her chin and forced her to look him in the eyes. She resisted but he kept a firm grip.

"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, luv."

"Ohh." She fainted. Jack just chuckled to himself and lifted her limp body into his arms and swaggered away.

* * *

*wipes brow* phew, that's the third chapter done. Well, I'm back at school now. Last year! Woot!  Sorry if you don't think the chapters are long enough. I promise they will get better as I go. 

Please review, it makes me feel special!


	4. Invitation not sent

Thank you to _Clueless-Patty_ and _girlgunslinger_ for your lovely reviews. I'm so excited about finally getting this story done. It's been in my memory for far too long, and it's about time I introduced it to the outside world.

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own anything. But if Disney wants to give me Jack Sparrow, it's A-OK with me!         

Chapter 4: Invitation not sent.

When she awoke, Anouk was lying in bed in what appeared to be a dimly lit room. She sat up and winced as her head began aching, but determined to find out where she was she left the bed and made her way to a large window. Her first thoughts were of panic as she wondered where that pirate had gone. What was his name? Some type of…bird or something? 

"If he's kidnapped me, I don't know what on earth I'm going to do!" Anouk stressed, wringing her hands and leaning out the window. All she could see was blackness. And beyond that, the lights of the town were glittering happily in the dark.  Peace flooded over her weary body and she felt weak at the knees and gripped the window ledge harder to stay upright. 

"I want to go home," she whispered to the night, "I want to go home, I want to go home, I wan…"

She trailed off as she heard footsteps behind her and spun around as a young lady came bustling into the room, her long elegant dress making 'swish-swish' noises as she walked. The lady had long wavy brown hair, a slim figure and looked to be under quite a lot strain.

On seeing Anouk out of bed she gasped and 'swished' over towards her.

"What do you think you're doing? You're in no state to be up and about."

Anouk stared at her. Open mouthed. This lady was caring for her? A noblewoman of some sort, looking after a filthy commoner? What was happening? 

The woman seemed to have guessed what she was thinking as she smiled warmly and patted her on the arm.

"I'm no noblewoman or anything like that. It so happens that I'm Governor Swann's daughter, Elizabeth Turner." She held out her delicate, pale hand.

Anouk hesitated and the placed her dirty hand in Elizabeth's.

"Anouk," she said simply, blushing. She had never known her mother and went through most of her life without her father's presence, so she never learnt her surname. 

Elizabeth again appeared to know what was going through Anouk's mind and merely beamed at her reassuringly and embraced her.

Anouk was startled. She was hugging her; Mrs Turner was hugging her even though she was a grimy stranger. She awkwardly hugged her back, trying not to soil her clean clothes. Elizabeth was saying something but Anouk was lost in her thoughts. Where was that pirate? Was he dangerous? Maybe this lady and her husband rescued me from him. Yes, that's it, they rescued me. I'll never have to see that man again.

She snapped out of her reverie and noticed Elizabeth was looking at her questionably.

"Uhh, sorry what was that?" 

"I asked if you wanted to meet the man who saved you. He's downstairs with my husband." 

* * *

Will Turner was trying desperately to keep Jack from bounding up the stairs to check on young Anouk. I mean he could see why Jack was worried. She had been sleeping for 3 hours now and didn't seem to want to wake up any time soon. His young wife had just gone up to make sure Anouk was alright and he had been left to handle Jack and his incessant ramblings about "…don' believe they don' keep any rum in th' house." and a wedding invitation not sent. 

"For the last time Jack, we're sorry!" poor Will didn't know what to say. After much deliberation, they had made a painful decision not to invite Jack because secretly, they believed that he would cause a ruckus with the Commodore and ruin the wedding. Of course Will and Elizabeth didn't have the heart to tell him. He was after all, one of their dearest friends and he most certainly did deserve to see them married, but…oh there was always a 'but'. 

Will watched as Jack traipsed around the room muttering under his breath and then finally collapse in an unruly heap in Elizabeth's favourite armchair. His hat was thrown carelessly in one corner of the room and his coat, strewn over the couch.  

"I jus' can' believe u didn't bother to even see if I wanted to come!" Jack fumed.

Will sighed dejectedly; he was never going to reason with Jack while he was like this. He might as well try to talk some normality with a tipsy lion that's just had its tail cut off. 

"Spose you didn' fancy meself as a fancy-to-do sorta person, but am I not yeh friend?" Jack looked hurt and Will felt terrible.

"I'm so sorry Jack, you see Elizabeth and I…well, we weren't sure whether you would want to come AND", he continued quickly as Jack opened his mouth to protest, "we didn't want another episode like last time you were in Port Royal."

Will watched Jack's expression closely as this information sunk in. his friends eyes grew fiery for a moment or two and then it seemed as if someone had doused them in cold water and the flames were vanquished. And then Jack was his old self again.

"Well mate, yeh did what you thought was best. Can ask yeh no more'n that," he chuckled and then became serious again, "Yeh know I never woulda' done nothing to upset yer weddin', Will. Yeh know that right?" 

Will smiled. "Of course, Captain. Of course."

* * *

Jack still wasn't happy. His friends didn't think he was worthy enough to come to a wedding, that girl probably thought he was a no good dirty pirate, well at least she had recognized him, and his arse hurt from Elizabeth's 'supposedly' favourite armchair. He moved in it, trying to dull the ache and numb the pain but to no reward.

And Will was still staring at him strangely. 

"What in the blue 'ell are yeh lookin' at, boy?" Jack lazily lifted his head and glared at Will. 

It was a while before the young Turner answered and when he did, it was not what Jack expected. 

"You've changed, Jack." He said simply.

"Aye, and that's Captain to yeh, mate, Captain Jack," he grinned mischievously, "and how so?"

Will shifted from foot to foot and rubbed the back of his neck. "No, I mean you're different in some way, I can't tell but it's been bothering me since you came back," he walked over to a chair and plopped onto it, "but I think it's for the better though, I mean you're doing things that you wouldn't normally do."

"Like what?" growled Jack.

"Rescuing a girl is one thing but then sticking around to make sure she's alright and bringing her back to our home, well," he paused, "if I knew anything I'd say you were becoming a bit soft." Will smirked.

In a flash Jack was up and behind Will's chair, a blade at his neck. The young blacksmith was startled and tried to move but the blade pressed heavily against his throat. 

"It's a good thing yeh don' know anything then isn't it?" hissed Jack in Will's ear, "because yeh should know this by now mate, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, I don' take any bloody nonsense from no one and I may be yeh friend…but I can still slit yeh throat and not have no second thoughts about it, savvy?" the cold steel was still pressed against Will's neck and there was no attempt to move it.

"Oh, an' don' ever let me hear yeh call me soft, yeh understand?" 

Will nodded dumbly.  
  


"Good."

Suddenly the door behind them opened and without thinking Jack spun around and hurled the knife.

* * *

Ooh! Suspense! Who walked through the door? What's wrong with Jack? Haha, this is fun. 

So, *looks at little purple button meaningfully* 


	5. Voices

Thank you, _girlgunslinger_, for reviewing and reading this story! I'm having so much fun writing it but I'm such a slow typist, so it's getting done, but slowly. By the way, it says that I have received 6 reviews, but only 4 are showing…I'm confused. Can anyone help?

Disclaimer: Nope. Nothing. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nada. 

Chapter 5: 

*Thwock* 

Elizabeth gasped as a knife whistled past her and embedded itself in the doorframe inches from her head. Clucking her tongue in disapproval she calmly extracted it and tossed it from hand to hand looking at Jack. With a sneaky smile she raised her arm and threw the knife straight at him. It missed his head by a hair and even sliced a couple of beads from his dreadlocks. 

The look on Jack's face was priceless. A cross between disbelief and approval.

"Now luv, you know that ain't fair," he protested, "I could've killed yeh if I'd a got the start that yeh had."

Elizabeth giggled and confessed that she knew he could've indeed. And Will wondered why Elizabeth wasn't worried by the fact that he was still in Jack's headlock and that she had almost been killed. Jack wondered when Elizabeth's aim had become so good and dropping Will's head, he pranced over to the wall behind him and retrieved his knife. 

Will collected himself and asked for a private word with Elizabeth who frowned and told him that it was rude to do so whilst they had a guest.

Jack laughed and told them to go ahead and that he'd entertain himself for a bit. 

"If you're sure Jack? We'll only be a minute or two I suspect," said Elizabeth.

"I don' mind a' tall luv, be my guest."

But Jack knew that they were about to discuss him and what he had been doing. He wasn't at ease with people talking about him behind his back when he was aware of it.

Placing his hands behind his head and falling back on the couch he closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

* * *

"Honestly Will! You worry far too much. Jack is just fine. You saw him before, and you _know_ he would never hurt me intentionally," Elizabeth tried to reason with Will who had worked himself up into quite a chaotic mess.

"He almost killed you, Liz! That knife was inches from your head! Imagine if it _had_ killed you," he lowered his eyes, "I would have never forgiven myself."

"Oh Will!" she lifted his chin in her fingers, "there was nothing you could've done about it, and Jack would never hurt me or anyone else," she reached up and kissed him, "he's too much of a softie," she giggled.

Will jerked out of her grasp and started pacing. "That's the other thing, Liz. Jack lost control when I called him soft. That's why the knife went flying and I was in a headlock."

Elizabeth nodded. "I did wonder about that," she admitted, "rather unlike our Jack."

"Not 'our' Jack anymore, Liz."

"Why ever not?"

Will rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It seems to me like he's changed. For the better and the worse. He's become more caring and thoughtful but he's also got a lot of anger and violence in him," he slumped onto the double bed and drew Elizabeth down with him, "I think he's found something, or someone that provoke these strange feelings in him."

Elizabeth reached up and stroked Will's cheek. "I know I've found my someone." 

Will smiled and pulled Elizabeth into a deep embrace.

* * *

Upstairs, Anouk was sitting on the edge of the bed shaking. It was freezing cold and even though she had wrapped many blankets around her, she still wasn't warming up. She was also shaking from the thought that these 'nice' people were probably in league with the pirate downstairs. Maybe she would just climb out the window and escape. Getting off the bed, her stiff legs carried her over to the window yet again, but as she peered out, she saw with dismay that the bottom was a long way down and that a fall could and most definitely would turn nasty.

"I'm trapped! Oh god they've trapped me," panicky thoughts invaded her mind. Thoughts of betrayal and of distrust. Anouk did not trust easily and when she did, it was only close friends that she had known for longer than 5 years. 

Still, determination filled her frail body and she threw off the covers and they landed in a heap on the floor. Grabbing the edge of the sheets form the bed, she tugged them off but in doing so and immersed herself in knotting them into a long rope. Anouk checked that no one was coming and shut the door. Tiptoeing back to the window she picked up the knotted sheets and attached them to the curtain hook on the windowsill. Yanking them to make sure it was secure, she had just gotten one leg out of the window when she heard someone clunking up the stairs. 

She swore under her breath and quickly pulled her leg back inside the room. 

'_Bang bang_' 

"Blast!" she skipped swiftly over to the door and pressed her ear against it, straining to find out who was coming up the stairs. The footsteps were heavy and uneven. Not at all like Elizabeth's who were soft and dainty. Was it Mr Turner? Perhaps it was him coming to check on her.

But a little voice pricked the back of her mind. 

It could be the pirate 

"Don't be stupid," she scolded herself, "if he's a pirate, he's dangerous and he probably doesn't care about checking up on injured people anyways."

It wasn't until too late that she realised she had been speaking aloud…whilst standing right next to the door.

Someone chuckled on the other side. "I wouldn' be too sure about that, young missy,"

"Oh." 

All common sense seemed to have flown from her body. All rational thoughts, all sagacity. She felt compelled to open the door, but she knew she shouldn't. 

"Open th' door, luv, I won't 'urt yeh." 

Anouk fumbled with the doorknob and breathed a sigh of relief as she found it was locked. She paused and then called through the door, 

"Um no, I won't, sorry." She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. 

Another laugh floated through the air and then he spoke again, "I'm jus gonna have to force my way in then."

"You won't break the door down, will you?" she was uncertain.

"Not if I can 'elp it. But desperate times call for desperate measures."

Anouk frowned. "This isn't a desperate time though," the frown deepened, "is it?"

"Believe me, darlin', it don' get much more desperate than this."

He didn't sound at all threatening. In fact, Anouk thought to herself, it sounded as though he were _trying_ to be threatening…but failing miserably. 

He's killed 

The little voice in her head pricked her conscience again.

"Shut up!" she berated herself angrily.

"You alright there, luv?" he sounded alarmed.

"I, I'm fine. Just a little tired is all."

Why are you talking to him? 

"SHUT UP SHUT UP!" she screamed, clutching the sides of her head as if to dull the voice.

All she heard then was an incessant banging on the door she was leaning on and Mrs Turner's voice yelling something and then the banging stopped. 

Silence.

Then, "Luv? Luv are yeh ok? Open the door an' let me in, aye?"

And then, "Anouk?" Elizabeth sounded frantic and she tapped the door nervously, "open up, it's ok. Mr Sparrow here isn't going to hurt you," Anouk heard a grumble in the background that sounded like 'Captain Sparrow, Captain,' and then Elizabeth ushering Jack away form the door. 

Anouk rested her head on the cool doorframe and breathed in deeply and massaged her temple. 

A key turned in the lock and the handle began to open.  


	6. Doubt

YAY! More kind reviewers. I love receiving reviews. It's so sweet. Your words mean so much to me. Now, brandishes sword on with the story! (I promise, it will get more interesting but at the moment I don't know where this is heading.) I'm so sorry I haven't updated for ages but I'm swamped with assignments and am only _just_ finding time to breathe.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Anouk.

Chapter 6.

Anouk watched in petrified fascination as the handle slowly started to turn. She looked around frantically for somewhere to hide, her eyes darting this way and that until they came to rest on a large chest covered in a quilt of some sort. Scurrying over she pushed the quilt off and threw open the box. It was full of rugs and fabric. Cursing she wrung her hands as the door slowly creaked open and in desperation she threw herself under the bed.

The door scraped against the floor and the hinges squeaked horribly as Will Turner gently nudged it open. Sticking his head through the door he surveyed the room and was quite alarmed at what he saw. The huge casement had been opened and a makeshift rope of bed sheets were tied to a hook on the windowsill and draped casually out the window. Covers and quilts were strewn about the room and the desk chair had been tipped over. Will's mother's hefty wooden trunk had been tossed open and the contents mussed.

"Lord almighty," he breathed and rushed over to the open window, the curtains blowing gently in the breeze. The sheets almost reached the ground and for a moment Will worried that Anouk indeed _had_ climbed out and run away. But as he leaned over the sill, his hand bumped the hook holding the curtains and it snapped. It broke off from the sill and went tumbling down, out of the window and onto the cold pavement below.

"Well, she can't have gotten out that way," Will mused to himself, "which means she must still be in the room."

Reviewing the sight before him, Will paced the room, mapping out in his mind, the places where Anouk could be hiding.

"Not in the cupboard, that's too simple. Umm, she tried the chest; behind the curtains would've been no good," he paused, "the only place left is…" his eyes settled on the bed.

 Uh oh.

Those were the few choice words that flew into Anouk's mind when she heard Will stop suddenly. She knew he had figured out where she was. She knew he would have sooner or later. She scrambled around to curl up against the back wall. She could hear his footsteps as he strode over to the bed and suddenly a pair of hands appeared, snatching at thin air, trying to find her.

"Anouk! I know you're under there and I, well, I just want you to know there's no need to be afraid," she heard his voice as though he were very far away, "you can come out now." The moving hands stilled and retreated from her sight. But Anouk was too distracted to notice that Will had now crouched down and was peering at her.

In her mind she heard screaming and then the sound of something hitting a hard surface. Groaning, she squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to erase the horrible sounds from her head, and then that voice again.

_He won't hurt you. He's not like the other one._

"Other one?" Anouk whimpered out loud.

_Your brother_.

After that the sounds passed almost as quickly as they had come. Anouk opened her eyes slowly to find Will's concerned gaze resting on her crumpled figure.

She tried to smile. "I'm ok now."

He didn't look convinced.

"Really, I am," she crawled out from under the double bed, "you're not like him at all."

Will managed to look politely confused as Anouk inched out of her hiding place.

"Not like who, Anouk?" the question hung in thin air as she looked away from him, playing with the divan cover.

"Like him." She whispered.

Will felt himself becoming slightly impatient. And then he wondered what the poor girl had gone through, to make her so. So he asked gently,

"Who, Anouk? Who am I not like?"

It took a moment for her to respond and then it was not even a full answer.

"Someone I used to know," she didn't seem to want to continue. Looking down at the floor she twisted a piece of carpet between her fingers, "he used to love me."

Will sat back on his haunches. "Oh. Well, that's probably a good thing then. Because I'm married, Anouk."

"I know."

She was a strange one, he thought. Very complex and sharp. And very beautiful as well. But also very disturbed, from what he had heard from her.

He stood up and offered his hand to her. She took it and he hauled her up.

"How old are you?" the question popped out of his mouth before he had a chance to register what he'd said.

She didn't seem offended at all, merely smiled and asked him how old he thought she was.

"18…19 maybe?" he was unsure.

She smiled dimly, brushing her limp hair from her face.

"Seem a bit younger do I? I'm 25."

Out in the hallway, Jack groaned and leant against the wall. He could hear them conversing and longed to know what they were talking about. Elizabeth seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"It's been quite a while now, hasn't it," she looked at Jack nervously, "you don't think something's happened?"

Jack tried to dull his curiosity and edginess by taking it out on her, "What on earth could possibly 'appen, woman?" he snapped, waving his hands in her face, "there's now where fer th' girl to run." _An' anyway, if she did she'd 'ave me on her tail_, Jack added to himself.

"I'm sorry Jack but I'm merely being concerned for my husband's safety in there!" Elizabeth's voice was rising slightly.

Jack was taken aback at this. Young miss Turner was worried about her husband being attacked by a girl, who was probably only about 19 or 20. Then he smirked. Another thought had just occurred to him. Maybe miss Elizabeth was jealous. He stroked his braided beard thoughtfully as he pondered this. It was a long shot, but definitely possible. He didn't notice that Elizabeth was still ranting.

"I mean, she could be doing anything to him. It's unbelievable! I know Will can take care of himself, but that girl-" she spat, "she seemed like a fighter, dangerous," she paused for breath, "she was creepy. I don't like the idea of them being in there alone together."

"Ahhh, so miss Liz is feelin' a bit green eyed is she?" he chuckled, "Will loves ya, darlin, he'd never do nothing to 'urt ya."

"What if he does? What if this is the first time? We've only been married for a month! A MONTH!" she shrieked as her bun loosened and began to unravel as she paced the room frantically.

Jack moved quickly beside the shaking woman and wrapped her in his arms. Something about that girl clearly hadn't seemed right to Elizabeth, he concluded. No one should react like this to their husband helping some poor lass. Elizabeth shuddered as she heard Will's voice again. She stood up straight and blinked back more tears.

"I'm going in." she straightened her hair and smoothed her dress.

Jack sighed and gestured towards the door, "On yeh go then, luv. I'll come with yeh."

Ohmigosh! I'm sooooo sorry its been this long before and update and yes I know the story is moving slowly but I have got an unrealistic amount of assessment due in the next 2 weeks, so this update is short and I know its crap but...oh what the heck, hands out cookies PLEASE trust me, I think it will get better. I've just had no times at all.


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